Music - and finding Haley's specialty

Haley is our musical child.  She creates beautiful sounds with her piano and has a soft melodic voice like a sweet bird.  She has the ability to make rapid conversions in her head while simultaneously internalizing feedback data and subsequently making modifications in HER performance!

When we introduced Ian to the piano, it was clear that there's quite a bit of 'interpretation' involved.  This note represents that key.  And that key is to be played with this finger and this hand...

...and when you play said key with the correct finger on the correct hand, it needs to be played with a particular dynamic (volume, sustain, speed, etc).

Complicated stuff!!
 So after a few weeks of piano, it was clear that Haley was naturally talented in this area...while Hana and Ian were not demonstrating the same gusto.  Haley then worked with Hana (see one, do one, teach one).

 Ian tried the violin.  And he did well.  However, he wasn't particularly excited about it.  So after a requisite amount of time, we decided to withhold specific instrumental lessons and refocus on other areas of interest - since the children DO receive basic intro to music at Public school here.

Hana continued to learn as Haley learned.  I believe that at age 3 and 4, she was just too young to justify the expense of individual private music lessons.  And that money would be better spent on gymnastics.


 Haley is doing *exceptionally well* in piano.  She has a fantastic teacher and considering her rapid advancement, we have decided to allow her to specialize in music.  So we dropped the extra-curricular basketball (that was VERY expensive and time-consuming as it was a select team) and she wasn't as excited about practice and "missing out" on other activities secondary to basketball obligations.  Not to mention the necessity of preserving those fingers!!

In fact, she's SO musically talented, she has decided to study the harp as well.  Harp lessons commenced 1 month ago, and her (harp) teacher continues to be impressed.

It is important to allow your young child exposure to a wide (general) range of activities that are reasonably suited for their personality and body-type.  No sense in "wasting time" and resources/money pursuing options that are not real, practical probabilities   The key is, consider your child and compile their 'likes.'  Then introduce the activity to the child in a low-stress, fun sorta way.  Give it a try.  If you pay attention, it doesn't take long to make the realization as to whether a given activity is a "good match" for a child vs not.

If an activity is not a "good match" meaning, if it's not enjoyable for the child AND the child does NOT have some natural talent (or can acquire the necessary skills to excel more easily than most based on body type, other natural skills, etc) -

- It would save you (and the child) many hours of frustration to realize early that this activity probably won't be the child's specialty.  And in a world where specialists are valued over generalists, appropriate limited family resources accordingly.